Massaging apparatus



Aug. 22, 1950 w. H. QUINN MASSAGING APPARATUS Filed Deo. 9, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 22, 1950 umts' STATES PATENT OFFICE MASSAGING APPARATUS William H. Quinn, West Orange, N`. J.

Application December 9, l=948SerialNo-. 643299 Thisv invention relates generally to a massaging apparatus and' in particular to an impro-ved massaging apparatus which: will apply a.` vacuum tothe-same area it is massaging.

Massage has for countless centuries been a means of treating the human body for remedial or hygienic purposes and usually consists oi rubbing,y stroking, kneading, tapping, etc. with either the'hand or an instrument.

It was discovered early in the use af massage that moreA effective results. could be secured if thel area being massaged oouldbe placed under a vacuum. or partial vacuum as this tends to increase the-circulation still further inthe area being massaged'.

Accordingly, the principal obiect of the presentA inventionis to provide a massaging apparatus which will create a fluctuating suction over an area which it is massaging.

lt isl an. objectof the' present invention to providea-n: apparatus which will have massaging elements and ineansfor creating a fluctuating suctiony over' the area which the'massaging elements are manipulating by the operation and rotation of the massagingv elements.

I-t is another object of the present invention tov-provide an apparatus Whichfwith'a single driving means will impart movementto the massaging elements which in turn willy activate means for creating ay nuctuating suction over the area being massaged.

It isa further object of the present invention to. provide an apparatus with a combination cam follower andi piston toKY be activated by themassaging elements for-creating a fluctuating suction over the-area being massaged;

With these and other objects in view asvmay appear from the accompanying specication, the invention consists of various features oi constructionV and combinationy of parts, whichV will be rst describe-d in connection with the accompanying, drawings showing a massaging apparatus of a preierrediorm' embodying the invention, and the featuresr forming? the invention will be specificalpointed, outinrthe claims.

In. the drawings Fig-,ure l; isa siderelevation: of thelinventiosri.`

Frau-rez. is a topvview of the invention.

3. is; a bottom View ofv the vacuum` and massage-chamber of the invention.

Figure-4 is, anhenlargedv side Tnew' partly in sectiony of.. the: chamber portionof the. invention,

Figure 5fis a section through the said chamber portion taken on a line. 5 5 ofv Figure 4;

Figure 6. is alperspecftive view'of tliezcam holder disc.

screams.` (C1. 12s-3s) Referring more particularly to the drawings, a housing l having a gear cover 2 connected thereto by threaded members 3v is shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, The housing I encloses an electric rnotorv (not shown) of any suitable type whichv constitutes the driving means for the present invention.

A gear reduction assembly (not shown) is 1ocated insidev the gear cover 2 and is connected betweeny the. driving. means and the rotatable shaft di. to' rotate and regulate the numberv of revolutions ot said shaft and the massaging elements 22 attached. thereto, as' will be discussed hereinafter. The gear reduction assembly may be of any suitable type, several of which are well lin-.own and easily purchasable on the open marliet.

Figure 4 shows a combination. vacuum and massaging chamber 4 having a substantially hollow cylindrical cup shape;l containing massaging apparatus' mounted therein.v and provided withv a bore 5 runningthrough the central portion thereof; At. one endl of the bore the opening is enlarged to form a collar 6 which snugly engages an annular sten 't onv the gear cover 2, the chamber #l being detachably connected to the gear cover 2 |by a biased slot 8 in the collar portion 6 and a pin 9y on the annular step 'i sothat the vacuum andl massaging chamber 4- may be assembled-.f and disassembled by manually rotating the.' entire chamber. It is intended that the massagging, chamber" and the elements contained therein shall be detachable for the purpose of cleaning or sterilizing` or for utilizing as anI attachment on` ay flexible shaft drive by the same pin andy Slot arrangement abo-ve described. Aocordingly, bore' 51 lies in the. axis ofv a parallel Abore iii locatedin the gear cover 2 so that a rataltable shaft il: lying lengthwise along the aXi's of: bore 5 and` extending into. bore IiJ can connect by atongue' and slotarrangement to a driven shaft lf2 which leads from the gear reduction assembly' and` thusreceive'rotational motion from the shaft l2 and: at thesame time be easily removable with the chamber 4, Itis understood that. while this type of construction: is shown other detachable connectionsembodying the same idea may be utilized for effecting this result.

The massaging mechanism is-best describedA by starting' at shaft Ill l'yinglengthwise in bore 5- and heldin position by' anupper thrust collar I3' and a lower thrustcollar M positioned on the shaft HI by' set screws |15Avv and l respectively. Openings. il and, lll" are; provided in the' side-.ofchamber t to enable: the. set. screws I5 to' be adjusted to position the upper thrustv coll-ar 13',y and sbait 3 II accordingly, for adjusting the position of the end of the said shaft I I where necessary for proper operation of the apparatus. The upper thrust collar I3 abuts and revolves on roller or ball bearings I8 and the lower thrust collar I4 similarly abuts and revolves on roller or ball bearings I9, these elements being used to reduce the amount of friction and to render the operation as quiet as possible. On the lower end of the shaft II, a

flange is provided having a plurality of sup porting and carrying members 2I each xedly connected at one end to the flange 2D and each carrying a fixed or rotatable, spherical massaging element 22 at the other end thereof, all of which is clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. The

massaging elements 22 are connected directly to shaft I through carrying members 2i and flange 20 and will rotate when shaft I I is rotated by the driven shaft I2 at the predetermined number of revolutions set up in the gear reduction assembly used and thus a simple effective massaging mechanism is formed inside the chamber 4.

The supporting members 2| and the massaging elements 22 attached thereto are circumferentially spaced around the flange 20 as shown in Figures 3 and il. rl`his circumferential spacing must be such that in addition to performing their massaging function the massaging elements 22 will be able to perform a dual function af activating the vacuum pump to secure the desired vacuum as is hereinafter described.

The vacuum pump is formed from a cylinder 4, which is in fact the inner surface of the chamber 4, and a cam follower and piston member 23 which is an annular plate-like member having a flared rim which comprises a lower annular cam follower holder 24 lxedly connected to an annular fiber-like gasket member 25 and an upper annular ring retaining disc 26. A centrally located opening 2l is provided so shaft II may be passed therethrough in assembling the apparatus to position the said member 23 and to serve as a supporting member along which the said cam follower and piston plate 23 can reciprocate. When thus positioned the cam follower and piston member 23 will at all times divide the cylinder 4 into an upper chamber and a lower chamber and will contact the walls of said cylinder 4 by the 'liber-like gasket member 25. However, to insure substantially air-tight relationship between the piston member 23 and the cylinder 4' an annular rubber-like compressible sealing ring 28 is provided on the outer circumference of the cam follower and piston plate 23 which is held in position just above the gasket member 25 by the upper annular ring retaining member 26 so that it abuts the walls of cylinder 4 at all times. Opening 2l is lined by a similar rubber-like compressible sealing ring 29 although smaller in circumference which is held between the gasket member 25 and the lower annular cam follower holder 24 so that it abuts the shaft II for the same purpose.

The cam follower and piston plate 23 is further provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced valve ports 30 concentric to the opening 2l. A valve disc 3l of substantially washer-like construction operates as a closure means for said valve ports 36 by surface-to-surface contact with the inner surface of the cam follower and piston plate 23, and is suiiiciently large to cover and seal the valve port-s 3S whenl in surface-to-surface contact to prevent the passing of air through the cam follower and piston plate 23` Volw? C1155? 3| shaft i I by a plurality of circumferentially spaced plunger guide-s 35. Plunger guides 35 are substantially elongated cylinders having axis parallel to shaft II and connected to the cam follower and piston plate 23, so that when said member 23 is in its lowest position the said plunger guide 35 will still have a portion of its length extending into bores 36 and clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawing-s. Bores 36 lead inwardly from the uppermost inner portion of the chamber 4 and receive the plunger guides 35 when the cam follower and piston plate 23 is reciprocated. The plunger guides 35 are further provided with a passage 3l and an outlet 38 so that as the plunger guides 35 move in and out of their respective bores 36 the air therein will escape through the passage 3l and outlet 38 to prevent the compression thereof effecting the operation of the cam follower and piston plate 23.

The plunger guides 35 may be fixedly connected to the cam follower at 39 by any suitable manner and may if desired be so connected as to join the lower cam holder disc 24, the gasket member 25 and the retainer ring 26 into one unit to form the cam follower and piston member 23. It is understood that other means of connecting these members embodying the same idea may be utilized for this purpose.

In order to move the cam follower and piston plate 23 in an upward direction the annular cam follower holder 2d has connected to the undersurface thereof a plurality of cam followers 46, circumferentially spaced, concentric to the opening 2l' and equal in number and in the same angular relationship as the massaging elements 22. The massaging elements 22 have a dual function of activating the vacuum mechanism and thus as they rotate they will act as cams and contact the cam followers il to drive them upwardly, at each successive angular position but the cam follower 39 is connected to the cam follower and piston plate 23 by the holder 24 so that it too moves upwardly until the massaging elements fail to contact the cam followers 40.

Each downward movement is effected by spring returning members 4I which are coiled around each plunger guide 35. As the cam follower and piston plate 23 is moved upwardly on each stroke thereof, the spring returning members 4I are compressed against the uppermost inner portion of the chamber 4. When the massaging elements 22 are no longer in Contact with the cam followers the compression is released which results in the springs 4I expanding to return the cam follower and pist-on plate 23 in a downward direction to await the next upward movement by the massaging elements 22. This upwards and downwards motion constitutes the reciprocation above referred to and while this type of cam and spring return mechanism is shown and described, it is understood that other types of cam and resilient returning means embodying the same idea could be utilized for this purpose.

The cam follower and piston member 23 when in the lowest position of the downward stroke aS atraveo 5 shown in Figure 4? of the drawings will abut. the @ange 2U. To avoid' contact between the* under surface of the piston member 23 and the upper surface of the fiange 20 acushion: ring 42' o! any suitable material is provided n the upper' sm'- faee of the flange 2U;

During the reciprocation of the. cam tollnwer and piston member 23.- at: the. openingV andi closing of valve ports' 30 therein will. control. the new' oil air from the lower chamber to the. upper chamber of the. cylinder 4l to establish the Vacin the lower chamber when the apparatus isv placed on an area to be massaged. Theioperation of the valve'- disc 3| which is the opening and closure means `for valveA ports 30- is dependent on the relative strength ot' valve springs 32. Thus, as can-r follower" and plunger member 23 is' moved upwardly the valve springs: 32 are compressed' forcingthe valve disc 3l? into surface to surface engagement with the cam iotlower and pistonmemfber 223- so that any air above the said cam follower and plungermember will be unable to pas-s therethrough and will be forced outwardly through af. phslra'l'ityY of circumferentially spaced exhaust ports t3Y provided thefwalls of the upper' chamber of cylinder 4i to atmosphere` On the downward stroke the strength ot the spring 32 is soadjusted relatively to that of the spring returning member' 4"-l that the cam follower and 'piston member 23' i's returned: more rapidlyv than the valve disc El; which results in opening the valve ports 3l) to allow air to passI from the lower chamber to the upper7 chamber on this stroke.

The forcing of air out of thei upper cham-ber oli the' cylinder d* throughthe exhaust ports t3 on the upward stroke cau-ses a slight reduction in' pressure in the upper chamber so that as* the downward stroke occurs and the valve disc Si opensI the valve ports Sit, air will move from the lower chamber to the upper cham-ber by' the com-- bined cir'ect of" the compressive action of the cam follower and piston member 213' and the areav of reducedy pressure in the upper chamber of the cylinder 4i'. As the next upward stroke occurs, however, the partial vacuum in the lowerJ cham-- ber isy increased d'ue tothe increased vol-urne which the' upwardly moving piston willl produce which causes the' suction or reduced pressure therein to iluctuate on each movement of the piston member' Z3 while still retainingA the diesired vacuum during the massaging operation.

While this type ofA ciosure means tov effect this result is shown and' described', other types or closure means; as forF example; an annular leather flapetype closure means embodying' the sameidea may be utilized for this purpose;

A handle 4v held in position by bolts' li'iifs-provided on the housing I for the purposeoiinanipulating the massaging apparatus. It is understood tha-t other types of gripping members embodying the same idea may be utilized for this purpose.

Although an upper chamber andv lower charm bery have been referredg to above; no lower chamber is formed'` untill such time as the apparatus i's-- placed on the area tofbemassagedas. one wall of the" lower chamber will: constitute the flesh portion being massaged against"4 which; the mouth or llip portion 5E will be placed, The mouth or lip portion 65 ifs therefore rounded and: smoothed to prevent bruising: of the skin during the massaging operation. If desired, the lip. portion 66 may be covered with a protective coatingV such as? hardI rubber o1'J similiar." substance also. rounded Y and smoothed! for stlll further protectionY 6. Accordingly, in the operation of the above described invention, the gripping member M is manually grasped and the electric motor is started by passing an electric current- (inot shown) therethrough. This constitutes the driving means for the gear reduction assembly which will in turn cause shaft F2 to rotate. The massaging elements 2'2" areY connectedthrough shaft Ifl to shaft I2 and accordingly willi also rotate, and as abovedescribed, will activate the cam toll'o-wer and piston member' 23 into reciprocal action with the* spring returning members M.

The apparatus is next placed on the area to be massaged to form the lower chamber. A-s piston member 23' is reciprocated air move through the valve ports 30 from the lowerch-amber to the upper chamber' the cylinder I reducifng the pressure and creati-'ng the pulsating ei'l'ect above the area being' massagedl.

As the pressure is reduced the flesh wil-l2 move upwardlyI into thev lower chamber of theA cylinder iii-to Contact with the massaging elemen-ts 2i2Y which are shown in 4 of the drawings, spaced'f inwardly of the mouth or lip portion 4610i* the chamber Il The ell'ecti-'ve pressureprod'uced on thev area being' massa'ged and the relativeposition of the massaging' elem-ents 22 inwardly' oi* the lip portion' 45 will? control' the effective massaging action produced by the massaging elements* 22. Further means therefore is provided in the lower chamber portion of the cyiimler` 5"' for controlling the pressure therein comprising an opening IFF to atmospherehaving a manually ad'gustable member e8- for controlling the size of opening IS7 to' permit' bleeding of air into the interior of" thev lower chamber of' cylinder 5' to regulate the pressure therein.

While one form ofthe invention has been illustrated and describe-d1, it is oitlvi'ousA that those skilled in the art may vary the specific construction or arrangement' of parts shovm without departing from the spirit of the invention and, therefore, it will be understood that it is not' to be so limited: but that it may be widely modified within. the invention dei'n'ed by' the claims.

What' is claimed'is:

1.o In a massaging apparatus, a` housing. containing, drivingv means therein. a message and vacuum chamber' connected to said housing. driven means mounted in said' chamber connected to and. rotated by said! driving means, massaging elements connected to said' driven means to rotate therewith, a cam` follower and piston member slidabiy mounted in said'V Chambon, means on said cam oll'ower and'. piston member to be operated` by:- said massaging elements for reciprocating said piston, member in said chamber, and means on said piston member for creating a fluctuating. suction over a. surface being massaged., by said' apparatus when. saidl piston is .reciprocated..

2.. In. a massaging. apparatus., a housing containing. driving. means therein, a massa-ge and vacuum chamber connected to sai-d housing, driven meansv mounted. in said` chamber con-- nected:v to. and rotated by said' driving means, massaging elements connected to said.. driven means to rotate therewith, a cam follower and piston member slidablvv mounted in said chamber, meanson saidcamtollo-wer and-lpistonvmeniber tol be: operated by said massaging. elements for` reciprocating said piston mem-ber. insai-d cha-mbenmeans for holding.. said. piston member in at substantially perpendicular planete the axis of said driven means attrait.. mea-nsior creating a substantially air-tight relationship between said piston member and said member, and

means on said piston member for creating a fluctuating suction over a surface being massaged by said apparatus when said piston is reciprocated.

3. In a massaging apparatus, a housing containing driving means therein, a massage and vacuum chamber connected vto said housing, driven means mounted in said chamber connected to and rotated by said driving means, massaging elements connected to said driven means to rotate therewith, a cam follower and piston member slidably mounted in said chamber, at least one plunger guide connected to said piston member for holding said piston member in a substantially perpendicular plane to the axis of said driven means, means on said cam follower and piston member to be operated by said massaging elements for reciprocating said piston member in said chamber, means for creating a substantially air-tight relationship between said piston member and said chamber, and means on said piston member for creating a uctuating suction over a surface being massaged by said apparatus when said piston is reciprocated.

4. In a massaging apparatus, a housing containing driving means therein, a massage and vacuum chamber connected to said housing, driven means mounted in said chamber connected to and rotated by said driving means, massaging elements connected to said driven means to rotate therewith, a cam follower and piston member slidably mounted in said chamber,

at least one plunger guide connected to said piston .A

member for holding said piston member in a substantially perpendicular plane to the aXis of said driven means, sealing membersmounted on said cam follower and piston member for creating a substantially air-tight relationship between said piston member and said chamber, at least one spring returning member mounted on said plunger guides, means connected tosaid piston member to coact with said massaging elements whereby said massaging elements and said spring returning members will reciprocate said piston member, and means on said piston member for creating a fluctuating suction over a surface being massaged by said apparatus when said piston is reciprocated.

5. In a massaging apparatus, a housing containing driving means therein, a massage and vacuum chamber connected to said housing, driven means mounted in said chamber connected to and rotated by said driving means, massaging elements connected to said driven means to rotate therewith, a cam follower and pist-on member slidably mounted in said chamber, at least one plunger guide connected to said piston member for holding said piston member in a substantially perpendicular plane to the axis of said driven means, sealing members mounted on said cam follower and piston member for creating a substantially air-tight relationship between said piston member and said chamber, at least one spring returning member mounted on said plunger guides, at least one cam follower connected to said piston member to coact with said massaging elements to move said piston member in an upward direction, said spring returning members to coact with said massaging elements to move said piston member in a downward direction, and means on said piston member for creating a fluctuating suction over a surface being massaged by said apparatus when Asaid piston is reciprocated.

. .75 is mounted 6; In a'massaging' apparatus, a housing containing driving means therein, a massage and vacuum chamber connected to said housing, driven means mounted in said chamber connected to and rotated by said driving means, massaging elements connected to said driven means to rotate therewith, a cam follower and piston member slidably mounted in said chamber, at least one plunger guide connected to said piston member for holding said piston member in a substantially perpendicular plane to the axis of said driven means, sealing members mounted on said cam follower and piston member for creating a substantially air-tight relationship between said piston member and said chamber, at least one spring returning member mounted on said plunger guide, at least one cam follower connected to said piston member, said cam follower to coact with said massaging elements and said spring returning members for reciprocating said cam follower and piston member, valve ports in said cam follower and piston member for allowing air to pass therethrough, a valve disc slidably mounted on said driven means for opening and closing said valve ports, and a valve spring mounted on said driven means, said valve spring and said valve disc being constructed and arranged to coact with said piston member and spring returning members for creating a fluctuating suction pressure over a surface being massaged by said apparatus when said piston member is reciprocated. Y

7. In a massaging apparatus, a housing containing a driving means therein, a massage and vacuum chamber connected to said housing, a shaft mounted in said chamber connected to and rotated by said driving means, a flange at the outer end of said shaft, carrying members connected at one end to said flange, massaging elements mounted on the other end thereof, a cam follower and piston member mounted for slidable movement on said shaft and in said chamber inwardly of said flange, plunger guides connected to said piston member for holding said -piston member in a substantially perpendicular plane to the axis of said shaft at all times, a first sealing ring on the outer diameter of said piston member, a second sealing ring on said piston member, said first and second sealing ring abutting said chamber and said shaft respectively for creating substantially air-tight relationship between said piston member and said chamber, means operated by said massaging elements for reciprocating said piston member in said chamber, and means on said piston members for creating a fluctuating suction over a surface being massaged by said apparatus when said piston is reciprocated.

8. In a massaging apparatus, a housing containing driving means therein, a, massage and vacuum chamber connected to said housing, driven means mounted in said chamber connected to and rotated by said driving means, massaging elements circumferentia-lly spaced around said driven means and connected to said driven means to rotate therewith, a cam follower and. piston member slidably mounted in said chamber, plunger guides connected to sa-id piston member for holding said piston member in a substantially perpendicular plane to the axis of the driven means, sealing members mounted on said cam follower and piston member for creating a substantially air-tight relationship between the piston member and the chamber it in, spring returning members mounted yon said plunger guides, cam followers connected. to the lower portion of said piston.

member in the same number and in the same circumferential spacing as said massaging elements and to coact with said massaging elements and said spring returning members for reciprocating said cam follower and piston mem-ber, and means on said piston member for creating a uctuating section over a surface being massaged by said apparatus when said piston is reyciprocated.

9. In a massaging apparatus, a housing containing a driving means therein, a massage and vacuum chamber connected to said housing, a shaft mounted in said chamber connected to and rotated by said driving means, a, flange at the outer A.endoi said shaft, circumferentially spaced carrying members connected at one end to said flange,"V massaging elements' connected to the otherfends of said circumifrentially spaced carrying` members, e, cam follower and piston member slidably mounted in said chamber, plunger guides connected to saidfpiston members for holding'said piston members in a substantially perpendicular plane to the axis of the shaft, sealing members mountedflon said cam follower and piston member for creating a substantially air-tightk relationship between the piston member and lche chamber it jis mounted in, spring returning members mounted on said plunger REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 915,251 Vanderslice Mar. 16, 1909 1,091,585 Motter Mar. 31, 1914 1,201,767 Schimek Oct. 17, 1916 1,668,364 Gilbert May 1, 1928 1,980,803 Johnson Nov. 13, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 117,209 Austria Nov. 13, 1934 

